Hi,

Frederick II, called the Great- reign 1740-1783

Not to much discussion on one of Europe greatest warriors.
I chose him because he was a man of many contrasts and he was one of Europes last absolutes monarchs. This is true especially during the "Age of Reason", when many of the great philosophers were questioning everything and the "church" had lost it stranglehold on the people.
Coming out of the 30 Years War, Prussia was in a tenuous state. Poland was in a major decline, Louis the XIV was bankrupting France building his huge palace at Versailles, Austria was fighting the Turks and England was on the rise as a world power.
Building on his fathers dream of making Prussia a continental power, Frederick II reformed the army and the goverment to wage wars on a large scale.
During his reign:
Fought 3 major wars with Austria, First and Second Silesian, Seven Years War
Lost his capital(Berlin) twice to the Russians.
Had his Army totally devestated 3 times- Kolin and Jagersdorf are 2 battles that come to mind
Won one of the greatest battles ever fought in the western world- Leuthen, winter of 1757- after being defeated at Prague a short time earlier and being outnumbered 2 1/2 to 1.

He was a man of interestingly mixed qualities: a short man with a rounded oval face and long nose. A sword sharp mind, a great musician and composer, bad tempered with subordinates who could be merciful to his soldiers. For the time, openly homosexual, he was married but he and his queen lived apart. His skill on the battlefield was legendary, but he could be outfought at times. Austrian Generals Daun and Laudon defeated him on many occasions.

His tactics of linear warfare was unrivalled, but almost cost him his kingdom a few times because he could be inflexible.

Overall, at the end of his reign, he left Prussia the dominant military and political power on the European Continent. And he was instrumental in Prussia's unification of the German states less than a century later. Some say he was a great commander and some say he was lucky. Personally, I think he was both. Many times outfighting and outlasting his enemies by shear luck, determination and reputation.

Chris

Good reading mate!